FES Funding Question

The US fusion program for FY13 requires both enhanced funding for ITER to $150M and level funding of the domestic program at $300M. This is vital to ensure timely progress on ITER while maintaining a strong domestic base to exploit US fusion investments. However, if only $400M is allocated for Fusion Energy Sciences, then we believe the appropriate division should be $300M to the US domestic program and $100M to US ITER construction (+/-$10M), to avoid irreparable damage to the domestic program and the US's ability lead on, and benefit from, fusion research.